Media gateway

ABSTRACT

A media gateway includes: a broadcast signal receiver for selecting a broadcast signal and dividing the selected broadcast signal into video and audio signals; a video decoder for decoding the video signal into a displayable image signal; an AID converter for digitally converting the audio signal; an encoder for encoding the digitally converted audio signal and the image signal; a data communication unit for transmitting/receiving AV stream data and a client control command to/from a data communication unit on a client side; and a main processor for controlling a tuner in the broadcast signal receiver according to a client control command conforming to HTTP standards received through the data communication unit and transmitting AV stream data obtained by encoding a broadcast signal of a channel selected by the tuner to a client side.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/575,852, filed on Mar. 22, 2007, which is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/KR2005/000265, filed on Jan. 28, 2005, and claims the benefit of and priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0076093, filed Sep. 22, 2004, which are hereby incorporated by reference for all purpose as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to a media gateway and, more particularly, to a media gateway that wirelessly transmits audio and visual (AV) sources offered over various types of channels to a client serving as an AV output device.

2. Discussion of the Background

Examples of devices for viewing multimedia data (e.g., DivX, MP3, or MPG) of a personal computer (PC) through a wide screen television (TV) with high-definition capability include “Radio-Signal Remote Relaying System” and “Multicontent Playback System”, which are disclosed in patent applications previously filed by the present applicant.

Such a radio-signal remote relaying multicontent playback system wirelessly system or transmits multimedia data contained in PC to a remote TV or audio player. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the multimedia data contained in PC can be viewed or heard at remote places, while a restriction is imposed that the multimedia data should be stored in the PC.

That is, given that AV signals are offered through various types of channels such as satellite broadcasting, cable broadcasting, on-air broadcasting, or digital versatile disc player (DVDP), the above-mentioned radio-signal remote relaying system or multicontent playback system is used very restrictively.

Accordingly, a new transmitter is required to be developed which can transmit broadcast signals or AV signals provided through various types of channels, such as satellite broadcasting, cable broadcasting, or on-air broadcasting, to TVs or computers at remote locations via wireless or wireline connections, so that users can conveniently view AV sources provided through various types of channels regardless of locations.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a media gateway capable of transmitting various types of analog AV signals offered over various types of channels to a client serving as an AV output device.

The present invention further provides a media gateway capable of transmitting signals generated by remotely controlling devices offering AV sources according to user's instructions to a client serving as an AV output device.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a media gateway comprising: a broadcast signal receiver for selecting a broadcast signal and dividing the selected broadcast signal into video and audio signals; a video decoder for decoding the video signal into a displayable image signal; an A/D converter for digitally converting the audio signal; an encoder for encoding the digitally converted audio signal and the image signal; a data communication unit for transmitting/receiving AV stream data and a client control command to/from a data communication unit on a client side; and a main processor for controlling a tuner in the broadcast signal receiver according to a client control command conforming to HTTP standards received through the data communication unit and transmitting AV stream data obtained by encoding a broadcast signal of a channel selected by the tuner to a client side.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a media gateway comprising: a broadcast signal receiver for selecting a broadcast signal and dividing the selected broadcast signal into video and audio signals; a video source selection unit for selecting either a video signal input terminal or a video signal output terminal of the broadcast signal receiver; an audio source selection unit for selecting either an audio signal input terminal or an audio signal output terminal of the broadcast signal receiver; a video decoder for decoding an output of the video source selection unit into a displayable image signal; an A/D converter for digitally converting an output of the audio source selection unit; an encoder for encoding the digitally converted audio signal and the image signal; a data communication unit for transmitting/receiving AV stream data and a client control command to/from a data communication unit on a client side; and a main processor for selecting the video and audio sources according to a client control command conforming to HTTP standards received through the data communication unit, processing AV stream data obtained by encoding the selected source according to HTTP or RTP standards, and transmitting the processed AV stream data to a client side through the data communication unit.

According to the present invention, a user can view media sources offered from various types of channels through a client serving as a media output device, since a broadcast signal selected through a broadcast signal receiver or external AV signals inputted through video and audio signal input terminals are MPEG-decoded and then transmitted in stream format to the client (PC or TV) equipped with a LAN card or wireless LAN card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system related to a media gateway in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a construction of a media gateway in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a construction of a media gateway in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system related to a media gateway in accordance with the present invention.

In general, a media gateway 100 receives broadcast signals of a broadcast channel selected by a user, processes the selected broadcast signals into AV stream data, and transmits the AV stream data to client devices (e.g., TV or PC) via wireless or wireline connections. The media gateway 100 can compress composite video blanking sync (CVBS) or 8-Video signal inputted through at least one video signal input terminal of the media gateway 100 into AV stream data and transmit the AV stream data to the client devices (e.g., TV or PC) via wireless or wireline connections.

Examples of the client devices include a TV 200 which can perform data interfacing with a digital media adaptor (DMA), and a PC 300 equipped with a wireless LAN communication unit (or LAN card) . The DMA basically comprises a wireless LAN communication unit (or LAN card) for receiving AV stream data from the media gateway 100, and an MPEG decoder for decoding the received AV stream data. The AV stream data decoded in the MPEG decoder is transmitted to TV.

A detailed description will now be given of a construction of the media gateway 100 with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 shows a construction of the media gateway 100 of FIG. 1. The media gateway 100 comprises a broadcast signal receiver 110 for selecting broadcast signals and dividing the selected broadcast signals into video and audio signals, and a video decoder 120 for decoding the divided video signals into displayable image signals (chrominance signal, or luminance and color difference signals). The broadcast signal receiver 110 comprises a tuner, an intermediate frequency processor, and an audio signal divider. An A/D converter (not shown) is located at the preceding stage of the video decoder 120.

The media gateway 100 further comprises an A/D converter 130 for digitally converting audio signals outputted from the broadcast signal receiver 110, an MPEG encoder 140 for encoding the audio signals digitally converted in the A/D converter 130 and the image signals, and a data communication unit 150 for transmitting/receiving AV stream data and client control commands to/from data communication units of the clients 200 and 300. The data communication unit 150 includes wireless/wireline communication units and can include wireless LAN card and/or LAN card.

In addition, the media gateway 100 further comprises a main processor 160 for controlling a tuner of the broadcast signal receiver 110 according to client control commands conforming to HTTP standards received through the data communication unit 150 and transmitting AV stream data obtained from broadcast signals of a broadcast channel selected by the tuner to the data communication units of the clients 200 and 300, which have requested channel selection through the data communication unit 150, according to HTTP or RTP standards.

As shown in FIG. 2, the main processor 160 comprises a streaming engine 165 for segmenting AV encoding data outputted from the MPEG encoder 140 into frames and outputting AV stream data obtained by assigning timestamps to the frames, and a communication protocol processor 167 for interpreting client control commands conforming to HTTP standards, processing the AV stream data according to HTTP or RTP standards, and outputting the processed AV stream data to the data communication unit 150.

The main processor 160 further comprises a tuner controller 161 for controlling a tuner in the broadcast signal receiver 110, an encoder controller 163 for controlling the MPEG encoder 140, and a command processor 169 for processing the client control commands interpreted in the communication protocol processor 167. The command processor 169 controls the tuner controller 161, the encoder controller 163, and the streaming engine 165 according to the client control commands.

Operation of the media gateway 100 having the abovementioned construction will now be described.

First, a user can issue a command to select a broadcast channel using a remote control. Such a channel selection command is sent to a DMA connected to TV and then sent to the media gateway 100 as a client control command through a wireless LAN communication unit which is an example of a data communication unit. The client control command transmitted from the DMA to the media gateway 100, e.g., a broadcast channel selection command, can be sent in the form of URL information conforming to HTTP standards. For example, assuming that a user selects channel 12, the broadcast channel selection command is sent in the form of http://192.168.1.100:65432/mgate/input?tuner=12. Here, the figure “12” in the URL information conforming to HTTP standards is information about a broadcast channel, while the preceding command “tuner” is one related to an image source. As described below, if the user selects CVBS as an image source, a “composite” command will be used in place of “tuner”.

When the broadcast channel selection command conforming to HTTP standards is sent to the media gateway 100, the broadcast channel selection command is interpreted in the communication protocol processor 167 and in turn applied to the command processor 169. That is, when the command processor 169 sends the applied channel selection information “12” to the tuner controller 161, the tuner controller 161 controls the broadcast signal receiver 110 so that the broadcast channel “12” can be selected.

Broadcast signals transmitted through the broadcast channel “12” are selected under the control of the broadcast signal receiver 110. The selected broadcast signals are divided into video and audio signals, which are in turn applied to a video decoder 120 and an A/D converter 130, respectively. Accordingly, displayable image signals and digitally converted audio signals are applied to the MPEG encoder 140.

Meanwhile, the image and audio signals applied to the MPEG encoder 140 are encoded into AV encoding data according to a moving image compression algorithm, e.g., MPEG 4 algorithm, and then outputted to the streaming engine 165. The streaming engine 165 outputs AV stream data obtained by segmenting the AV encoding data into frames and assigning timestamps to the frames.

The AV stream data is processed according to HTTP or RTP standards in the communication protocol processor 167 and wirelessly transmitted to the client 200 through the data communication unit 150.

Accordingly, the DMA of the client 200 MPEG-decodes the received AV stream data and outputs the resultant data to TV so that the user can view images through the TV channel 12.

A description will now be given of the media gateway 100 for receiving video signals (CVBS, S-Video) offered by various AV sources (e.g., DVDP or DVCR) and in turn wirelessly transmitting the signals to the neighboring client devices 200 and 300.

FIG. 3 shows another construction of the media gateway 100 shown in FIG. 1. The construction of the media gateway 100 in FIG. 3 is similar to that of the media gateway in FIG. 2 except that the media gateway shown in FIG. 3 further includes a video source selection unit 170, an audio source selection unit 180, a source selection controller 162, an IR transmitter 190, and an IR transmission controller 168.

The video source selection unit 170 selectively outputs a video signal outputted through an output terminal of the broadcast signal receiver 110 and a video signal inputted through at least one video signal input terminal (CVBS, S-Video) under the control of the source selection controller 162. The video source selection unit 170 is also referred to as a video switch.

The above-mentioned “at least one video signal input terminal” denotes a CVBS signal input terminal and an S-Video signal input terminal. The CVBS and S-Video signals will be hereinafter generally referred to as “video signals”.

In addition, the audio source selection unit 180 selectively outputs an audio signal outputted through the output terminal of the broadcast signal receiver 110 and an external audio signal under the control of the source selection controller 162.

Meanwhile, the main processor 160 including the source selection controller 162 is responsible for selecting any one of video and audio sources according to the client control command conforming to HTTP standards received through the data communication unit 150, and transmitting AV stream data obtained from the selected source to data communication units of the clients 200 and 300 through the data communication unit 150 according to HTTP or RTP standards.

The main processor 160 further comprises the source selection controller 162 in addition to components included in the main processor 160 shown in FIG. 2. The source selection controller 162 controls switching between the video source selection unit 170 and the audio source selection unit 180 according to .a source selection command transmitted from the command processor 169.

The main transmission processor 160 may further comprise the IR controller 168. The IR transmission controller 168 controls the IR transmitter 190 according to an IR transmission control command transmitted from the command processor 169. The IR transmitter 190 sends an IR signal for remote controlling an AV source providing unit connected via a cable with the video signal input terminal (CVBS, S-Video).

The IR transmission control command refers to a remote control signal for remote controlling AV source playback devices such as DVDP or DVCR. The IR transmission control command is first generated through a remote control and sent through a DMA to the media gateway 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Accordingly, the main processor 160 of the media gateway 100 can control the IR transmitter 190 according to the transmitted remote control signal, so that a user can remotely control the AV source playback device through the DMA and the media gateway 100.

Operation of the media gateway 100 will now be described with reference to FIG. 3.

First, a user issues a command to select an S-Video input through a remote control. This command is referred to as a video source selection command which is different from the broadcast channel selection command and CVBS input selection command. That is, the video source selection command is sent to the DMA connected to TV and then sent to the media gateway 100 as a client control command through a wireless LAN communication unit. The video source selection command transmitted from the DMA to the media gateway 100 is transmitted in the form of URL information conforming to HTTP standards as described above, e.g. ‘http://192.168.1.100:65432/mgate/input?svideo=1”.

When the video source selection command conforming to HTTP standards is sent to the media gateway 100, the video source selection command is interpreted in the communication protocol controller 167 and applied to the command processor 169. Accordingly, when the command processor 169 sends the applied video source selection command to the source selection controller 162, the source selection controller 162 controls switching between the video source selection unit 170 and the audio source selection unit 180 so that the S-Video input and the external audio input can be selected.

Accordingly, video signals inputted through the S-Video input terminal are applied to the video decoder 120 through the video source selection unit 170, decoded into displayable image signals, and then applied to the MPEG encoder 140.

The MPEG encoder 140 processes the applied image signals and digitally converted audio signals into AV encoding data according to a moving image compression algorithm and outputs the AV encoding data to the streaming engine 165. The streaming engine 165 outputs the AV stream data obtained by segmenting the AV encoding data into frames and assigning timestamps to the frames.

The AV stream data is processed in the communication protocol controller 167 according to HTTP or RTP standards, and wirelessly transmitted to the client 200 through a wireless LAN communication unit which is an example of the data communication unit 150.

Accordingly, the DMA of the client 200 MPEG-decodes the received AV stream data and outputs the resultant data to TV so that a user can view the S-Video signal and audio signal outputted from a video source playback device through TV.

The user can select and view the CVBS input according to the above-mentioned method, although not described in the above embodiment.

As apparent from the above description, since the media gateway in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention encodes video signals of various channels such as CVBS and S-Video as well as broadcast signals and transmits the encoded signals to client devices, such as TV or PC, at remote locations via wireless/wireline connections, a user can conveniently view video/audio signals offered from various channels, regardless of locations.

Further, the user can remotely control a media gateway to control AV source playback devices neighboring to the media gateway at remote locations so that the user can conveniently view the signals generated by the remote control at a remote location.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A media gateway, comprising: a receiver configured to receive a first content file of a first standard and a second content file of a second standard different from the first standard, to divide the first content file into a first video signal and a first audio signal, and to divide the second content file into a second video signal and a second audio signal; a video decoder configured to decode the first and second video signals; an audio converter configured to convert the first and second audio signals; an encoder configured to encode the converted first audio signal and the decoded first video signal into a first streaming signal of a third standard, and to encode the converted second audio signal and the decoded second video signal into a second streaming signal of the third standard; and a data communication unit configured to transmit the encoded streaming signals of the third standard to a client device for display on the client device.
 2. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein the first standard corresponds to a different encoding from the second standard.
 3. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein the first and second video signals are decoded into first and second displayable image signals, respectively.
 4. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein the first and second audio signals are converted into first and second digital audio signals, respectively.
 5. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein the signal receiver is configured to select one of the first streaming signal of the third standard or the second streaming signal of the third standard to be transmitted to the client device.
 6. The media gateway of claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to retrieve a representative image of at least one of the first and second content files.
 7. The media gateway of claim 6, wherein the data communication unit is further configured to transmit, to the client device for display on the client device, the representative image of at least one of the first and second content files.
 8. The media gateway of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the first content file from a first source and the second content file from a second source different from the first source.
 9. A media gateway, comprising: a receiver configured to receive first content data and a second content data from different sources, to divide the first content data into a first video signal and a first audio signal, and to divide the second content data into a second video signal and a second audio signal; a video decoder configured to decode the first and second video signals; an audio converter configured to convert the first and second audio signals; an encoder configured to encode the converted first audio signal and the decoded first video signal into a first streaming signal, and to encode the converted second audio signal and the decoded second video signal into a second streaming signal; and a data communication unit configured to transmit the encoded streaming signals to a client device for display on the client device.
 10. The media gateway of claim 9, wherein the first and second video signals are decoded into first and second displayable image signals, respectively.
 11. The media gateway of claim 9, wherein the first and second audio signals are converted into first and second digital audio signals, respectively.
 12. The media gateway of claim 9, further comprising: a controller configured to retrieve a representative image corresponding to at least one of the first and second content data.
 13. The media gateway of claim 12, wherein the data communication unit is further configured to transmit, to the client device for display on the client device, the representative image of the at least one of the first and second content data.
 14. A media gateway, comprising: a receiver configured to receive first content data having a first file format and a second content data having a second file format, to divide the first content data into a first video signal and a first audio signal, and to divide the second content data into a second video signal and a second audio signal; a video decoder configured to decode the first and second video signals; an audio converter configured to convert the first and second audio signals; an encoder configured to encode the converted first audio signal and the decoded first video signal into a first content signal, and to encode the converted second audio signal and the decoded second video signal into a second content signal, the first and second content signals having the same file format; and a data communication unit configured to transmit at least one of the first and second content signals to a client device for display on the client device. 